A Box with no Key
by SamuraiShadow13
Summary: After a nightmare Kaoru tells Kenshin a bit about her family. The things he had never heard before.


Big thanks to Scarred Sword Heart for betaing this fanfic!

"_Mommy...she's dead and you sit there doing NOTHING Do you have any emotions? Mommy please please don't die"._

"_I will be back soon do not worry Kaoru-chan"._

"_Daddy, no! Daddy, you can't go! Don't leave me I don't want to be alone."_

"_Kamiya Kaoru, are you here?"_

"_Hai, sir. I am Kamiya Kaoru." _

"_This is a letter from the government. Your father has been shot, and died. We are very sorry. We will be sending money for your father's duties. Once again I am very sorry. Good day, Miss."_

"_You liar! You said you would come back! You said we would be happy. You lied I...I What am I suppose to do? I have nothing anymore. I don't have anyone! I'm all alone."_

"_Sayonara Sayonara Sayonara Kaoru-Dono. This one is a Rurouni and once again I will drift. Sayonara Kaoru-Dono. Sayonara Kaoru-Dono."_

"_It is now a battle of the heart. Whether this one will once again kill, or wether I can unleash the Ama Kakeru Ryu No Hirameki at the right point"._

"_DIE BATTOUSAI! I WILL USE EVER OUNCE OF MY BEING TO UNLEASH JINCHUU ON YOU! SUFFER AND GO TO HELL!" _

"Nooooooo stop just stop, just stop!" Kaoru screamed. She looked up to see Kenshin's big violet eyes looking down at her.

"Are you alright, Koishi?"

Kaoru wiped the sweat off her forehead and laid back down. Her heart was pounding. It felt like it was going to pop out. What a nightmare.

"I'm alright. Don't worry about it. Just a bad nightmare that's all," Kaoru said.

"It didn't sound like just a nightmare. Do you want to talk about it?" Kenshin asked.

"No. I'm fine Kenshin," Kaoru growled.

Kenshin just smiled, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her closer.

"Kenshin I said I'm fine. I want to be left alone," Kaoru told him icily.

Kenshin backed off and pulled away. Kaoru had never done that before. He knew whatever Kaoru dreamt most have been really horrible, but still he felt a bit hurt. He fell into a restless sleep.

That morning as usual Kenshin was up first. He began to make a breakfast of Natto, rice, and some grilled fish. Kaoru stepped into the kitchen. She looked down then ran to Kenshin.

"I'm so sorry. I was horrible to you last night. Can you please forgive me?" Kaoru pleaded, as she hugged him tightly.

"Yes. Don't worry Koishi. You were upset. It's ok. I promise," Kenshin smiled.

"I love you, and I am really sorry," Kaoru continued.

"I love you too. Come! Let's eat," Kenshin said.

The two eat in silence for awhile, but Kenshin was curious about her dream. He wanted to comfort her.

"What was your dream about? If it's to hard to talk about that's ok, but I think you should tell me," Kenshin said.

"It was like all of my bad memories just flooded into my mind," Kaoru sighed. "It's a long dream and the only way I can say is if I just push right on through."

"I'm listening," Kenshin smiled.

"Well at first it was the death of my mother. I don't remember much about it, since I was so little. She was on the smaller side. I remember she was really pretty, and she black hair like me. She had big green eyes. I can't remember what her face looks like though. She was kind, and always took good care of me. I remember that we had a lot of fun. Then one day she became very sick. She stayed in bed a lot and many doctors came to see her. They couldn't find a cure. She died a couple months later. My father didn't show any emotion. He just continued to work on making Kamiya-Kasshin. He kept practicing and practicing. I was so mad. I screamed at him one night. I just lost it I couldn't take it. I told him he was a monster for not being upset. I questioned his love for her. I thought he didn't feel pain or sadness. Then days later I found him crying over her kimono. He was saying

"I'm so horrible Youkou. I can't live without you why did you have to leave? Why? Kaoru hates me. I would hate me too. Please no."

"I raced over to him and hugged him. 'I don't hate you, Daddy. I just was mad. I'm sorry...I miss Mommy too,' I said to him. We spent the rest of the day crying. In time we worked over our sadness. My dad always did say my mother had a good name, Youkou meant sunshine. She always did bring sunshine. So we weren't going to let our sadness get in the way of her sunshine."

"Your mother seems a lot like you," Kenshin smiled.

"Your such a flatterer," Kaoru giggled. If felt good to laugh. "Years went by and one day father got a letter in the mail. He read the letter, and looked mad and sad at the same time. I could tell by the look on his face he was about to go into another rant of how the government was stupid, and they needed more control.

"This isn't easy to say Kaoru-chan" my father said "I just got a letter from the government I have been drafted to the Seinan War."

"I just sat there I was in total denial. I just said 'How long will you be gone for?'

"I'm not sure, but not long. Since I served a long time in the Bakumatsu so it won't be as long as that. It's one tour, but the length varies. I'm sorry. I really don't want to go. You'll be ok...right"? He said

"Father you worry to much! I will be fine. I smiled. I was in shock I didn't know what to say. That night I realized he was leaving. I was sad, but I kept telling myself he would come back soon. He never said much to me about it. I guess he was in denial too. I think he knew deep down in his mind I was upset, but he just looked at my smiling face, and told himself I was fine about it. A month went by and that fateful day came. He walked out of the house in his blue uniform he had medals, and other badges on it, and he wore his hat. He turned and smiled at me.

"Well Kaoru-chan I'm off! I am going to miss you very much. Remember I love you, no matter what happens. Now practice well and make me proud. Now don't go overboard on all that money I gave you. I guess I'm lucky you don't go on shopping sprees. Go visit your friend Tae at the beef-pot shop. She will be good company. Eat well, sleep well, dream well, do everything well. I will write. Don't let the boys over power you. Between you and me I think your better than all of them". He said.

"He gave me a tight hug and a kiss and started to walk down the road. A carriage was at the end of the street. As he began to walk I told him what I really wanted to say all along. DADDY NO! YOU CAN'T GO YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! My voice went into a low whisper. I don't want you do go! I will miss you too much I don't want to be alone again! NOT AGAIN PLEASE.

He looked back at me, and tears were in his eyes. "Don't worry he said". He began to run. So I ran after him. He got in the carriage and it started to go. I chased it as fast as I could. He stuck his hand out the window and simply waved".

Tears began to fill Kaoru's eyes. This matter was sealed in a box deep inside her. It was like the key was never meant to be found and last night something opened the box. Kaoru wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She looked up at Kenshin, he was smiling. As usual. He hugged her tightly. Kaoru smiled back. She got up, reached into the cabinet, and pulled out a small brown box. It had gold bordering around it. The wood was glazed over and the dust covering made it look like it had been in there for years. Kaoru opened the small box. It was filled with letters. The parchment was beginning to darken, and the ink writing was slowly beginning to fade. Kaoru took the top paper and handed it to Kenshin. "It was my father's last letter to me". She explained.

_Dear Kaoru-Chan,_

_The war is all most over. At least that's what some are saying. My unit is moving toward the South part of Kyushu. I'm far from home. I have a lot of hope that we will win! The samurai can't defeat guns, canons, and other firearms with just swords. There will is strong. Samurai protected our country for years and we can't forget who we are. But you saw what happened with that asshole Perry moved in. Who said he had the right to force entry into Japan? Excuse my language, but you know how I feel about Commodore Matthew Perry. Stupid Americans. We need to move foward with innovations, but that doesn't mean we forget the past._ _It's been_ _raining a lot lately. The wind knocks our tents everywhere, and a big part of our supplies were swept down the river. We will prevail though. I hope...let's just go with that. As I write I'm sitting under the stars. It's pretty when blood isn't being shed around here. The sky is not like the sky in Tokyo. It's a deep blue unlike the blackness we know too well. I'm by a river, the sound is calming, but no one can sleep. Few men are actually in sleep. We keep asking ourselves are we really strong enough? Is this war just an excuse to fight? Well how is the Dojo going? Everything's fine I expect. Better be in tip-top shape when I come home. Maybe you might be ready to have an equal duel with your old man. Met anyone...maybe a man. He better meet my approval or I'm using the final secret on him._ _Just kidding! __I miss you. Lot's of love,_

_Daddy_

Kenshin looked up at Kaoru. He simply smiled and snuggled close."He seems like a good man".

Kaoru looked out the window. The leaves of the Sakura tree began to fall. She felt like it was a sign someone close was watching her family.


End file.
